Who could resist the idea of the butchering of an Agatha Christie murder mystery by an amateur theatre society. Not us!
“This show promises to stay true to the exciting twists and turns of a typical Agatha Christie, while promising to disrupt everything you know about theatre in a riotous montage”
Stephan Fourie, Director
Call Off The Search’s proudly amateur theatre hacks have our tickets to The Murder of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd at the Masque Theatre in Muizenberg and might just string together some sort of a review afterwards. One can only hope that this review doesn’t earn the comment, “Well you obviously don’t understand theatre then …” like our other recent post-theatre ramblings did.
Sigh. We could cry, but we choose to laugh. And that is what we expect to do at The Murder of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which takes Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and mixes it up a little.
We are told: “The audience is guaranteed to be clutching at their sides as Hercule Poirot, Dr Sheppard and the residents of Fernley Park investigate the murder of the extremely wealthy Roger Ackroyd. While the characters try to answer the question of whodunit, the actors are hoping to just get to the end of the play alive.”
“The Murder of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a love letter to community theatre, a play-within-a-play, where the hapless actors are pushing the boundaries of what human tenacity can overcome and achieve!”
Faeron Wheeler,
programming manager, The Masque
Remixed and revitalised by Cape Town Theatre Company and The Masque, the production was adapted for stage by Stephan Fourie and Faeron Wheeler and directed by Stephan Fourie. Set design is by Robyn Theron, with set engineering by Simon Dutton and costume design by Marna Wright.
The Murder of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is on at The Masque from November 3 to 18. Tickets cost from R120, with booking via Quicket.
The Masque, at 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, has quite a story of its own. More than 60 years old, it was established by local attorney Bertie Stern with the objective of encouraging voluntary participation by all in all forms of theatre. When The Masque opened, it was one of the few theatres in SA that was open to people of all ethnic backgrounds.
In 1993, Stern bequeathed The Masque into trust for the benefit and growth of community theatre. The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1997 and it took two years to rebuild (thanks largely to the generosity of the late Joan St Leger-Lindbergh). It has been home to many amateur theatre societies over the years.
A registered Non-Profit Organisation, The Masque is run by volunteers with a focus on community. Showcasing all genres of performance and celebrating diversity, the Masque aims to be as inclusive as possible.
Sign up as a volunteer to participate on stage or behind the scenes, from stage management to archiving the wardrobe department. Or just keep an eye on things on Facebook or Instagram while you build up the courage.